CROCKETTSVILLE – Organizers and the nationally acclaimed music duo Halfway to Hazard are gearing up for the second annual Halfway to Hazard Charity Trail Ride in August.

Last year’s event combined a morning ATV trail ride along with an evening concert at the Abner farm in Crockettsville, in turn raising $110,000 for the Buckhorn Chidren’s Center. Organizers say they hope to eclipse that figure with the newest event in August.

Chad Warrix, a native of Breathitt County and one-half of Halfway to Hazard along with Knott County native David Tolliver, said both he and Tolliver were always looking for ways to give back to the community, and a trail ride coupled with a musical concert is something he had always wanted to do anyway.

“It was kind of a dream of mine a few years ago to somehow bring music and riding ATVs and dirt bikes together,” he said. “It’s kind of what I always wanted to do.”

Warrix said he was sold on raising money for the children’s center in Buckhorn after getting to know some of the kids, and the opportunity was there to couple the first ride in conjunction with the grand opening of the regional trial system in Buckhorn and the Black Gold Festival in Hazard.

“Everything kind of came together, and we happened to be in town already,” he said. “But this year it’s truly independent with a totally different date that wouldn’t conflict.”

This year’s concert and trail ride will also be stretched out into a two-day event, covering the entire weekend of August 22-23, and organizers say they hope attendance will be doubled from last year.

Janet Smith, who chairs the event, said she hopes to attract 15,000 people to Crockettsville this year.

“We just think it’s going to be really good. There’s a lot of interest in it,” she said.

All of the proceeds from the event will go to benefit the Buckhorn Children’s Center, a charity Warrix said is well worth the effort, and one for which he knows how the money is being spent.

Along with Halfway to Hazard, a few other incentives were added to this year’s show to help attract people to the area. Smith noted that she has confirmed that country music star Dierks Bentley will be appearing this year. Also scheduled to appear are Danielle Peck, Randy Houser, Jeremy Popoff, Gabe Garcia, Whiskey Falls, Motocross champion Ricky Carmichael, and NASCAR star Kyle Petty.

Helping to bring such a large show to his home county and region is also a way to help promote the area, Warrix said, adding that wherever both he and Tolliver go they always promote their native region.

“We always tell everyone how beautiful it is and how great the people are,” he said.

And seeing people working to make sure this year’s trail ride and concert are successful illustrates that point.

“It’s amazing to see all the volunteers and people coming together, how everybody has just been so helpful,” said Warrix. “It’s really cool to see, and it’s East Kentucky at its best.”

Warrix said he thinks it’s important for the region to take advantage of its musical heritage and natural beauty, and he hopes the trail ride can play a role in building the tourism industry. He said he sees the trail ride as a yearly event for several years to come.

“This is going to be an annual event, even long after Halfway to Hazard has come and gone we’ll continue this event,” he said. “It’s an event that can be around like a Black Gold Festival or Honey Festival. I think this can turn into a wonderful annual event. We have so much support for it.”

But at the end of the day the trail ride is an opportunity to have some fun and support a good cause.

“It feels really good to be able to do something that’s fun and provides entertainment, and yet it’s all for a good cause,” said Warrix.

The 2009 Halfway to Hazard Charity Trail Ride will be held Saturday, August 22 through Sunday, August 23. The music will begin Saturday with the gates opening at 10 a.m. Bluegrass music will be played live from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while Halfway to Hazard and friends will take the stage at 6 p.m. Admission will be $10 per person or $20 per car load. Children’s activities and a cornhole tournament with a prize of $1,000 will also be held during the day.

The ATV ride will be held Sunday with registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. and the ride beginning at 10 a.m. You can also register at the concert the previous evening. The ride will depart from Crockettsville and travel along the regional trail near Buckhorn.

For more information you can call Janet Smith toll free at 1-800-548-5979, or log onto www.h2hcharitytrailride.com.